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You see, many couples in Australia would never dream of seeing a therapist. The mere stigma of owning up to issues, issues most couples experience, is just too confronting. The worry that friends or family might find out may lead too more sleepless nights, a more important consequence than the actual saving of the marriage. Well in the privacy of ones own home comes "Tell Me You Love Me". A riveting drama more akin to a self - help DVD. We meet a therapist confronting her own problems, deal with the contrasting issues of three couples. The clever positioning of the drama is that the ages of each couple ranges from early 20's to early sixties (the therapist and her past) and the challenges faced by each reflect their stage of life. Sex becomes the key to the healing for each partnership. The sex scenes are explicit and may be confronting but that adds to the spice of the series. The sex experienced by all of the characters helps them to reveal where they are at emotionally. The therapist encourages sexual communication for all her clients but under prescription,and each of her prescriptions are modeled with precision. An important piece of television ...... if you have a partner, sit and watch this together. If the themes bring fresh thoughts and dialogue in your union then maybe you've saved two things. Therapist fees not covered by Medicare or maybe, but more importantly, your relationship.

I've watched the first two episodes of this series and I truly enjoyed it, and not for the explicit scenes. The drastically different couples all have very deep character profiles that seem to parallel in unexpected ways. If you can look below the surface of being a "glorified porno" like jrpk1964 thinks it is, the true intentions of the show will become apparent. To portray the lives of these couples each with unique situations that all seem to share commonalities which you can relate to.

Overall I wouldn't call this show ground-breaking but it is definitely a well executed drama.

Some people will have heard about this show because of its controversy. I did myself. Admittedly, I was intrigued because of the promise of sexual content on TV - HBO, nonetheless. Having now seen the first episode of "Tell Me You Love Me", I know what the show is actually about.

If you're expecting "porn TV", think again. Yes, the show does have several moments of sexual contact, both oral and intercourse, but when they occur it is anything but arousing - instead it's uncomfortably realistic - down to moments of climax, the show does not flinch from showing the explicit.

But soon enough, if you actually watch the show, you'll realise that this isn't what the show is about. Many people will make the mistake of thinking this show is about sex, but it's about relationships, and how sex is used to shield us from the problems of our relationships.

Three different couples are the focus each dealing with different problems; one tries desperately for a baby, one's physical relationship is intense but unreliable in terms of commitment, and one married couple struggles to deal with the lack of sex in their lives. Both the issues raised in the show and the dialogue are uncannily realistic, to the point that you can't help but compare the relationships in the show with your own, and this can sometimes make for uncomfortable viewing - I'd strongly advise against watching this with your partner.

"Tell Me You Love Me" represents a watershed event in American entertainment.

There are many of us who have waited for such a series. This is a production that depicts sex as it is. This is entertainment that gives sex the treatment that it deserves. It is a profound type of intimacy --- a type which is guaranteed to repel some viewers from this show.

In the United States, sex is commonly depicted in either one of two ways: as an idyllic, sterile, and clichéd occurrence, which is typically found in movies and television --- or as an avaricious, cheap, and vulgar act, which is the usual portrayal in pornography. Neither of these are representative of sex in the real world.

Now, Cynthia Mort has challenged us to look at what happens in the bedroom without any illusions. It is doubtless that she and her production crew are wondering whether we can handle it. Certainly, there will be viewers who watch the show solely to enjoy all the skin, as well as others who will excoriate it as nothing more than pretentious dirt.

Yet despite its highly graphic depictions, this series is far more concerned with the repercussions of sexual relations in committed relationships. A viewer who loses sight of this fact should question whether one's attention was paid to the whole show or merely to the sex scenes. "Tell Me You Love Me" is not about the sex act itself. It is about what sex means to men and women.

H.L. Mencken wrote that anyone "who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood." Hopefully, this is the case for HBO, the production team, and especially the cast of the show. This is a brilliant and courageous achievement --- one which may not be fully appreciated in its own time.

The writing is intermittently brilliant; so is the acting, directing and concept. HBO has been flirting for years with stuff so real it's uncomfortable to watch, and this is an advancement of that experiment. Unfortunately, it's so "slice-of-life" that things frequently take a LOOONG time to happen. Ally Walker is the class of the field among the actors; her work is subtle, transparent and totally unforced. I'm not hooked on this series, but I am interested, and it's rich food for thought and conversation between my wife and I about how we view love, sex and their relationship to each other at different moments in our lives. Jane Alexander is a wonderful glue that holds the stories together, and gives me hope that we can keep finding our way to love as we ripen.

If you are uncomfortable about therapy, this show is not for you. The marriages depicted here are all broken - as 99% of relationships are - and they're broken enough that therapy is the only way to rescue them. The characters are interesting and deep, and their problems are realistic and almost scary in their accuracy. My favorite is the comments I've seen on some boards and even in HBO's little viewer comment section after each episode - when one of the reviewers said they couldn't imagine sex becoming annoying just because you have to have a lot of it to conceive, my wife and I laughed uproariously and yelled at the screen. Clearly some people just don't understand what it's like to be married! Fortunately, the writers of this show apparently do. There's good and bad, and sometimes you need help figuring out which is which. The show presents a fascinating view of modern marriage without any of the romantic crap and idealism that underlies most of TV today. Bravo, HBO! We're addicted.

Overall, I found it very compelling. The struggles in the relationships were so real and you could feel the pain. However, a lot of the dialogue and delivery of it was so bad. I'm not sure if it was the actors, the writing or what. Especially the Katie character. She drove me nuts. I wanted to reach through and strangle her. All of the female characters seemed nuts and definitely needed the therapy. Not sure how effective that was for any of them though. Also, why so porny? I'm all for a little titillation but this went way beyond. I wonder if any of the actors who became more well-known regret being this exposed. I saw lot more of all of them than I wanted or needed to.

HBO has finally won me over after canceling Six Feet Under and Deadwood. "Tell Me You Love Me" is a one hour show on the lives of three women and their significant others: Meet Jaime (Michelle Borth), a young chef with commitment fears and trust issues. She has ended her engagement to Hugo and tries to move on with her life. Now meet, Katie (Ally Walker, who is amazing) and Dave (Tim DeKay), a suburban married couple with two children and the passion has run out of their marriage. And then there is Carolyn and Palek, a yuppie married couple with no children and plenty of passion in their marriage and trying to have a baby. In fact, Carolyn (Sonya Walger) obsesses about getting pregnant to the point that Palek (Adam Scott) is now doubtful of his ability to be good husband and a good father. The show is very graphic in sexuality, but that is the point. It is often times painful to watch because (for myself especially) there are moments in the show that you can actually relate. From the desperation of bringing passion, joy, and fulfillment into the lives of our characters to emptiness and loneliness they feel. It is heartbreaking to see Katie and Dave become so faraway when they do love each other still. What these people have in common? They are seeing therapist, Dr. May Foster (the formidable and incredible Jane Alexander), who has issues of her own with her long time marriage to her husband but still is adult enough and knows better. The show is honest, raw, and real with amazing performances from the cast. Truly the best dramatic series HBO has put out.

I was flipping through my Entertainment Weekly this past week and came upon an advertisement for a new HBO series that looked interesting. It looked to me like a new show about relationships (like 'Sex and the City' without the comedy) which sounded pretty good...

It said that it was premiering this Sunday but it was available on HBO On Demand already so I decided to take the night and watch it. It started out OK with good developing of characters and such that is typical of a new series' pilot episode. But then it moved straight from a dramatic scene into the couple starting to have sex. And I'm not talking about soft-core adult cable show sex, I mean visual sex.

On the 5 minute 'about the show' segment (also available on HBO On Demand) the show's creator talked about how this show would have more graphic and intense sex because these people were actually in relationships, it wasn't just going to be meaningless sex that is typical in adult film or television series. But when I'm watching a show (especially the pilot episode) I actually don't want there to be graphic sex. I know they're having sex if they start getting into it and then show them naked doing 'something' for about 15 seconds and then that's it, but when you've got a run-on scene of it for about 5 minutes it seems to be more of a porno than a television show.

The reason I gave this a 6 out of 10 is because of the characters and relationships. They both seem perfect for how the show can go, and how far it will go. My only hope is that they tone down the sex just a little.

During all but the last few minutes of the show I was saddened to see that they showed the oldest couple for only about 5 minutes. It was very heart-warming to see a couple that have been together for many years be so great to each other and then have the comparison for the other characters. But they were only on-screen for about 5 minutes until the end. Which, I don't know about anybody else, but I most certainly don't want to think that 70-year-old married couples do what this couple did during the last 3 minutes of this show's pilot.

I have always watched new shows with an open mind, which is why I'm willing to watch the second episode of this show as well. I also get the point that the creator is trying to make which is that sex is beautiful and part of everybody's life no matter how, when, or what they do when they do it. But when you're trying to actually have an outstanding plot with very great characters in the mix, it's just not very possible.

I hope you enjoy the pilot if you watch it!

"HBO's" new adult only drama relationship series "Tell Me You Love Me" clearly is unlike anything before that was shown on TV even cable for that matter. A viewer can see this series explores relationships and sexuality to new heights showing the most sensitive matters in the most frank nature leaving the viewers to feel the raw emotions of the characters. Most for sure this is the series to watch if your concerned and interested in couples with sexual problems, pregnancy issues, commitment fears, masturbation, and passionate love making. The series focuses on two couples and one young female and the relationship problems they face are all guided along by a veteran and strong female Dr. May Foster(Jane Alexander) who despite her characters age has the healthiest sex life of all. The most and best likable couple is middle class and hard working Dave(Tim DeKay) and Katie(Ally Walker) both married for years and they have two children yet all of a sudden the action in the bedroom has stopped. Is it loss of sexual desire or personal lack of security? It's very interesting to watch this couple get counseled as you just feel like rooting for them to return to a normal and active life between the sheets. Second is the business and successful career orientated couple of Palek(Adam Scott) and Carolyn(Sonya Walger) who are happy and have a very active and passionate love and sex life, yet the one little problem is the couple can't get pregnant! The issue grows on each causing many stresses and mind changing feelings as Carolyn wants desperate to become a mother and Palek losses interest. Clearly a couple that sparkles yet you wonder if the difference of interest will let them last. Finally young girl Jamie(Michelle Borth) who has a commitment fear she just doesn't want to settle down after being hurt from a previous relationship, after each and every bed she hops in and out of it's more worry on finding the right one she even wonders to satisfy herself should she be celibate? Clearly a show that any adult can relate to all the above mentioned relationship problems no matter if married or not. It proves it's okay to receive therapy for complex issues. Again I must hand it to HBO it pushes the envelope again this series should be a lasting winner for the way it deals with adult relationship problems direct and in a frank manner it really grows on viewers emotions. A final word the performances of Ally Walker and Sonya Walger are worth mention, Ally is cool calm and strong in her role, while Sonya is just as sexy as ever while dealing with her struggles as a conflicted yet successful business lady.

I really did want to try to get into Tell Me You Love Me. It seemed like the answer to many a false-noted romantic drama on TV, certainly for soap operas. If anything though it's the total 180 of a soap- it's meant to be too realistic, but without a sense of humor to it that a weepy melodrama might dish out every now and again. In the bulk of the series I've seen so far (of the first season) I can't remember even chuckling once- yes, even with the one guy and his sometimes dipping into, color us shocked, middle aged masturbation- and while there's attempts made to get deeper into the psychology of the characters it's hard to ever really care about what any of them do.

Scenes From a Marriage it definitely is not, as it examines three off-shoots of a therapists clients: a girl who sleeps around a lot on her boyfriends (and, apparently, has it sort of unwritten-as-law that every episode shows her having sex); a cold career woman wants a baby, the man tries and deep down doesn't, and just as they're about to break up wham it's finally a bun in the oven; a typical married couple with kids deal with their sexual hang-ups. And, after a while, we notice the old therapist and her love affair too.

It all weaves in and out together in each episode, hand-held like it's Cassavetes revived as a zombie, and after a while when the characters talk it...turns...dull. It's not even that the actors are all that bad (actually, Michelle Borth is, aside from the obvious which she's good at), and once in a while a really striking dramatic scene will stand out when emotions finally flare up. And of course subtlety can be a writer or an actor's best friend at times, but this goes into overkill, and for the sake of characters that are closed-off, shrill, sexually frustrated *well-off* suburbanites.

All this said, the series does provide some of the most graphic but lucid sex scenes ever filmed, not just for premium cable TV. Instead of the high gloss of a Cinemax skin-flick ala Passion Cove, or a gynecological lesson by way of Ron Jeremy, it's real bodies copulating like real bodies, where the line between what is faked or what is real heat and penetration is blurred, and it gives Bertolucci a run for his money in the no-punches-pulled style of film-making. So those scenes, scattered as they are episode to episode (and yes, you pervs, they are worth watching for those alone), are up to the hype.

But the rest of the series, in a way, doesn't really call out as something that will last that long. It makes its mark, but the writers and directors don't have anything new to put onto the table with relationship crises and whatnot. There aren't any real revelatory statements that are made that haven't been made thousands of times before, from Shakespeare onward. But if naturalistic acting, VERY naturalistic acting, is your thing, have at it. Personally, I can't help but think the satire in a work like Knocked Up has at least a bit more truth and complexity coinciding with the sense of humor about it than with Tell Me You Love Me.

I like this a lot. Very new pace, daring way to go about telling stories. I am a big fan of this style,I think it is riveting and relevant to life, just my kind of thing. God I love to see sex that seems somewhat real. Good writing, true, insightful, fresh. GREAT ACTING!!! Ally Walker is brilliant, had these moment where I just sat with my mouth open, I knew exactly the inexpressible conflicting place she was at. All the choices were subtle, very right, exactly catching the moments of marriage and the pain. The pilot also was brilliantly directed, so quirky and confident. Not surprising coming from a woman who directed "I Heard the Mermaids Singing" Bravo Patricia! It is a show that seems to cash in on honest and patient Canadian integrity while remaining thoroughly entertaining. Note, give it more than 10 minutes before you decide it's not for you. Hope it manages to last- it is a bit risky, not what we're used to. Also, I'm not sure it will appeal to everyone, a little worrisome that I like it so much but I also am a big fan of Six Feet Under, Gray's Anatomy, House and Entourage (but I also liked John from Cincinatti) so who knows?

And I'm French... Who wanna see "realistic" sex and relationships problems on screen when you can have lots (and lots, and lots) of them in your real life? Like in a french movie, nobody seems to have (or to need) a job or to care about anything else than their little and meaningless lives. Furthermore, in real life, relationships and sex are directly related to money and job problems and to your social background. Nothing is said in the show about the social aspects of relationships - of course, because otherwise it would never air because it would be truly disturbing. Showing explicit sex (or explicit violence) is always a cheap way for people to pretend that they are "open mind" and "liberal" (like some famous editor of adult content magazines who manages to make everybody forget he's just a pimp). We sure know that in France where 70% of the movies are just soft porn with bad lightening (well, not exactly: the characters have some books in their homes so you can tell you're seeing a "real" movie).

Besides, what's the matter with those women shaved to look like twelve years old little girls or porn "stars"? In Californication there was a very good line about that...

Well, it's difficult to me to understand how people can find this show disturbing. Sadly, they are plenty of more disturbing things in the world. However, if prude people are offended, that's a good point!

It is obvious that there is a lack of communication between each couples for their own reasons.

One wants to put the cards on the table the other holds things in perhaps feeling intimidated or doesn't want to loose the relationship. The youngest couple trying to resolve their issues by constantly engaging in sexual activity while the girl is super insecure. The couple who is trying to get pregnant is a one way street.

Basically shows every day reality on the screen...we all struggle with intimacy and it's very hard to figure out why goes south. It is easy to understand by watching these people interact what might be the problem and what he/she should be doing but it all boils down that relationships are super hard to maintain to a level that satisfy both party.

I think that this is a great show. It gets into the relationships closer and it shows more realistic life experiences. The sex scenes are not pornographic but are realistic I think. The ups and downs that everyone goes through are amazing. Also, I'd just like to point out that someone made a comment attacking the show or the woman on the show because of how shaved the girls are, and I felt that I wanted to defend that. I don't know what part of life you are currently in, but THAT is NOT just for porn, real people are like that. I've not seen a woman under the age of 30 who does not look similar to either Jamie or Caroline. However, I digress. I suggest that this is a great drama for someone who wants to take some of the cliché out of the typical Hollywood type stuff.

I was completely intrigued by the storyline and began to watch with the hope of an emotional impact and perhaps, having my eyes opened to something new and refreshing. Sadly I'm disappointed in every way. This show started out slowly but surely. Building scenes, creating characters and profiling the mental/emotional capacities of each couple was brilliant. However, I'm getting lost in the objective of the series and character of the individuals themselves, and find myself a tad bit bored and confused about why we are struggling so hard with no real depth of understanding. So much is left unsaid! It's driving me crazy. As the viewer, we're left to create the dialogs and paint the picture of supposed inner turmoil within each character/couple and, maybe I'm just tired, but I was hoping for something more steadfast and clear to give me insight into my own longterm marriage and past relationships. Not as big a fan as I wish I could be.

To speak analogously, Anyone unamused by Tell Me You Love Me just doesn't want to take the deep dive and would rather stay close to shore in shallow water. To those people I say "Your loss!" I WILL BE SHORT HERE.

Given the nature of the sex scenes, I too am genuinely surprised at finding the script and storyline flowing nicely as any HBO show's should. This show makes it's points in evoking our own thoughts and emotions around the issue of love and relationships through the interactions of the character couples. If you can't get by the nudity, then that is unfortunate for you (and paradoxically emphasizes one of the key motifs of the show: HUMAN VULNERABILITY!) Let me reiterate, Right out of the gate, this show is instantly unique for it's no holds-barred depiction of intimacy, but as other reviews suggest: DO NOT LET THIS SWAY YOU. While the sexual choreography is intense, the simultaneous depiction of reality itself (marital freedom, relationship statuses, the burden of children) overshadows the lustiness, creating a truly RAW atmosphere that I personally have yet to see done in television (besides maybe EASY).

The cast truly go balls to the wall in creating brutally real depictions of the phenomena of marriage. Even the slower moments in the anthology of character storylines create a healthy amount of anticipation.

I will keep this review short and just say it is worth giving this show a watch, as there are very few shows with the "extremity through mundanity" that this show has, and it may be AS CLOSE AS WE'LL GET to a a show that accurately depicts the issues of monogamous relationships, and it is weirdly entertaining for it.

People who want to watch soft porn (read: men) are going to be annoyed by the arguing especially when it short circuits an otherwise hot sex scene. The people who like watching dramas about relationship problems (read: women) are going to be turned off by the graphic nature of the sex. The people who like to watch old people having sex (read: no one) are going to love some parts.

The show does exhibit a high level of realism in the sex scenes and the dialogue and obviously has good writers. The arguments seem to flow naturally and you can see how they evolve into pettiness or futility or resolution. However I've had these arguments and derive no voyeuristic thrill from watching someone else have them except to fleetingly admire the writers' craft as I change the channel.

Add to all of this the most unrealistic and smug characters - the therapist and her husband - and I feel as if I'll gain no insights by watching the couples resolve their issues through therapy. Perhaps the writers are too young to write an older couple as realistically, but it is jarring to cut to them after watching an otherwise meticulously realistic show.

I found this show to be revealing and honest and fun. I personally thought that it was hysterical....in a quiet, subdued way. Its real, and the humor comes from the truth....or revealing the truth or something.

What i love most about this show is that i can sit back and watch the show, and feel like I'm learning about my own mind....how my thinking can be irrational even though I've convinced myself I'm right.

the acting ROCKS! The writing is spot on....i feel like each character is different, and reacts differently...when i often feel like every character on TV is the same.

The sex is not nearly as explicit as people said it was, but it definitely can throw you out of the show.

the season finale left you hanging....and it is going to be fun to return to in the fall

The pilot was good and gradually became boring and repetitive.

Most of the people are extremely unlikable and kept making stupid choices. When you don't identify with anyone it becomes difficult to maintain interest.

Jane Alexander was excellent as always. Actually the acting was good and would have been better as a movie- this 10 hour series became tedious.

I couldn't stomach the Carolyn character and started wishing bad luck on her. She was so horrible that I will avoid the actress who portrayed her in the future... I realize this may sound extreme, (and never my nature) she was vile! I think actors should choose more carefully the roles they choose.

This was an excellent program, and I can't believe that the writers and directors didn't have enough of a story line to continue this beyond one season. It truly was an realistic depiction of relationships in our dysfunctional society. The acting was so good that I found myself liking some characters and fully disliking others. They were fully fleshed out. Jane Alexander as the therapist was sublime. And the disclosure of what she was dealing with in her life was a fantastic story line. Wish this would have been more than one season.

I recently watched "Tell me you love me" and fell in love with the series and left me wanting more. There's so many ways this series could have continued. There's no other show like it. It's realistic and well written.